Deonna Purrazzo reflects on time in ROH.
Deonna Purrazzo started wrestling in Ring of Honor in 2015, first competing in dark matches before women started being featured more on shows and events. Purrazzo was part of the ROH Women Of Honor Title Tournament, making it to the quarterfinals where she lost to Mayu Iwatani.
Appearing on Talk Is Jericho with Chris Jericho, Deonna was asked if she thought the women in ROH helped with the peak of the company.
"[Laughs]. No. I think, for many different reason, we were very held back. I think there were people in higher positions that didn’t believe in women’s wrestling. I couldn’t tell you the emails I sent to Joe Koff and I would get the statistics from YouTube pages and Instagram numbers and be like, ‘look at the interaction we’re getting. Look at the numbers we’re bringing to the company. We deserve better.’ I don’t feel it ever happened," she said.
Asked if she felt that's why it might be time to leave, Deonna replied, "Yeah, at the same time, mid-2018 WWE had approached me about having me in the Mae Young Classic, having them sign me, but I was in the middle of my Ring of Honor contract. I did have an opt out clause, so six months in, I could say, ‘this isn’t for me, I want to leave,’ and that’s exactly what I did. I felt like my hands were tied, but I’m trying so hard, I’m fighting for women to get this opportunity, and it’s not happening, and I don’t know what else I can do personally, professionally, and more I could give of myself to make it happen, so maybe it’s time to move on."
Though Deonna finished up with ROH in 2018, she won the ROH Women's Title on the January 13, 2022 episode of IMPACT Wrestling when she defeated Roxanne Perez (Rok-C).
Deonna is now signed to AEW. Fans can find her comments regarding joining AEW by clicking here.
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